Written by Onyx Raven

Vampyre, vampire, nosferatu, devil's spawn, etc. ... I have heard these terms over and over again during the course of my awakening and even before hand. The illusions that Hollywood and novelists have created regarding the very presence of blood sucking, morphism, and supernatural powers has amazed me and has provided the general population with misguided information. There have been countless articles and forums that have tried to explain the essence of vampirism to those who are seeking to truly understand. Even with all the information that is out on various websites, forums, publications, events, etc. there are still those who are seeking the romantic, fictional characters that have been portrayed for decades.

When someone approaches me with a willingness to learn and to understand, I try to avoid the use of vampyre as a description of myself. I try to focus on the spiritual side and the ethics and codes by which I live my life. I, by nature, feed from human blood. I do not hide in the shadows, ashamed that I need this form of energy, but have come to embrace what I truly am and what I truly desire in my life.

There are so many out there who seek to understand and yet the doors have been closed around their questions, because so many of us have become skeptical to their intentions and to their true identities. In order to understand what vampyrism truly is, one must be willing to overlook the skepticism that we all have. One must understand that for many of us, we are quite comfortable living in the shadows of public eye. We do not seek unneeded attention, as many of us must hold normal, mundane jobs, we must be able to function and move about freely in our community. Not the ever-growing vampyric community, but our physical community. Many of us have children, who have not been made aware the true nature of their parent or parents. We are guarding their innocence until they reach an age where they too can seek to understand.

The above terminology is merely that. They are words that have been used to describe what society believes to be vampyres. What it does not do is to allow those who seek to understand that not all feed off of blood. Some feed off of prana, some feed off of their psychic abilities, and others do not feed at all, but merely follow similar codes and ethics that have been handed down from House to House, from person to person, and from communion with others of like mindedness.

Despite what term you use to describe yourself, be prepared for society to warp that description. Be prepared to face animosity amongst those who do not believe as you do, or do not accept that which you are. We are all uniquely beautiful. We are all different and yet share many characteristics. As I have traveled from place to place, I have found the greater vampyric community to be filled with various walks of life. The myths that only those involved in the Goth scene can truly be vampyres has been debunked. There are doctors, lawyers, judges, accountants, etc. ... who are indeed vampyres. It is time that we realize we cannot change what we truly are, nor can we wish to be something other than what we are.

Always seek to understand those different from yourself, always learn… Always seek knowledge beyond what you think you already know. We are never completely awakened because there will always be someone who has experienced something other than your experiences. Embrace life, and live to the fullest ... Remember, labels are simply that ... Words that someone thinks will injure. You can choose to be labeled or you can choose to create your own label.